Important update- Please Read

Due to circumstances beyond my control; I will be taking a hiatus effective immediately for health reasons. Thank you all for your support.

Uzumaki (2024) Thoughts- A Flawed Adaptation That I Had Fun Watching.

Happy Halloween everyone- now that I've seen the whole event more than once; I thought I would finally unpack this latest attempt at adapting a manga by Junji Ito into an anime. I have not seen every attempt; but I'm noticing that they're recurring proof of not everything on the page working on the screen. Here are my thoughts on Uzumaki, a flawed adaptation that I had fun watching.

Courtesy: Adult Swim/Production IG/Junji Ito

The anime follows the same premise as the manga- in a small town known as Kurouzu, an ancient curse involving spirals seeks to engulf the whole area. At its center, a young woman named Kirie Goshima and her partner Shuichi Saito are caught in an increasing tour of horrors.

Before I get into my thoughts on each individual episode; I thought I would address the spiraling elephant in the room- the troubled production of this anime. Translating what's arguably Ito's most well-known manga to TV was never going to be easy; especially as a previous live-action film adaptation was not well-received. 

Of course, the clearest factors behind the delays and artistic "quality" moments are the ones most outside the crew's control- the COVID-19 pandemic and Adult Swim's parent company changing hands twice. First was the AT&T partnership, then there was the much more infamous WB Discovery partnership. The latter one was especially not willing to offer any more delays, even threatening to shelve the whole thing for a tax write-off as they had controversially done before to a number of projects. There was of course a considerable time crunch just to get the project done. We'll get into how this impacted the anime itself over the course of this post, but for now; it was initially believed that David was running WB like Judge Doom. Others later realized the same thing I did- He was running the company like Mr. Krabs.

Now, let's get into each individual episode; starting with what's easily the best- the first. The whole show uses a mixture of traditional animation and rotoscoping interspersed with digital effects; even making the show in black and white to recreate the look and feel of the manga. The unnerving dread caused by the spiral curse ("Uzumaki" literally translates to "spiral") is an increasing source of fright throughout the episode, culminating in Shuichi's father contorting himself to fit in a washtub and the smoke from his cremation causes the curse to spread further. It is easily one of the most effective pilots I've seen all year; and the opinion I hold that's most consistent with everyone else.

It's the second episode onward that everything (ahem) spiraled out of control behind the scenes. When both Jason Demarco and Henry Thurlow said as much on their social media feeds; I believe them. Admittedly; the show as a whole is faithful to a fault to the source material, in the sense of cramming an entire volume of A Song of Ice and Fire into two hours is.  The subplot with the "Jack-in-the-Box" was never my favorite; but even I noticed how truncated it was from page to screen. At least Kirie's monstrous hair got a full whack, off-model animation aside.

The third episode centers around Kirie being hospitalized alongside her cousin. Her name is Keiko Nakayama. In addition to her and others expecting children, an outbreak of mosquitos has them all drilling people's blood... no, I am not making that up. After her return, a wave of storms break out in Kurouzu, leading us into the fourth and final episode.

As the storms engulf the town, no one in Kurouzu can get in or out; save for a lone reporter. With Kirie and Shuichi making a failed last-ditch effort to escape; I'm actually glad the anime retained the manga's ending of Kirie wanting to stay by his side till the end. However, right before that; we get Shuichi falling into an abyss, represented by Shuichi.png being dragged across the frame. I didn't really notice it on my first watch because it was after midnight (and waiting for Demon Slayer and One Piece to start); but people online certainly caught it. Kind of reminds me of the infamous scene from that terrible Kong game last year of Gaw.jpg. 

Still shot of Shuichi aside, it does wrap things up conclusively enough for the cycle to start anew; and also makes a solid enough time for me to finish.

Admittedly, this isn't the first time an adaptation from Ito has yielded mixed results from myself or the viewing public. I personally found the Gyo OVA to be decent, but found the Junji Ito Collection to be a much bigger mess than this. Maybe there will be an anime that does Ito's work justice one day, but that day has yet to come.

Despite everything, I actually had fun writing about this anime. While I certainly hope conditions improve going forward across the board, there are more than enough moments that entertained me even with or even because of its flaws. I am among those in the "so-bad-it's-good" cult followings Morbius and Madame Web have gained. Overall, the anime version of Uzumaki is a flawed adaptation I had fun watching. Sitting here typing this, I will certainly keep it in rotation. Happy Halloween once again, and don't forget to vote by this Tuesday. Later.

Zom 100- Bucket List of the Dead Season 1 Thoughts.

“When there’s no more room in Hell, the dead will walk the Earth.”

 George A. Romero, 1940-2017 

Hey everyone- with spooky season upon us, it’s finally time to address an anime I’ve been wanting to a while. The premise is what sold me- for most people, a zombie apocalypse would be a waking nightmare. For overworked salaryman ad executive Akira Tendo, it’s a dream come true. Now that I’ve finally seen the entire first season (and begun reading the manga); here are my thoughts on Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead.

Much as how previous works in this subgenre of horror have put a darkly humorous spin on society’s flaws against.this backdrop; this is no exception. Even before the dead walk the earth, the story acts as a savage takedown of corporate culture and overwork in particular. Viral pandemic aside, it’s all too common that people find themselves in a workplace that takes advantage of their ambitions; functionally locking them into a vicious cycle of exploitation that isn’t found out until literal years of their life go by. Suffice to say, the scene where Akira tells off his (now-zombified) boss before tackling him out the window is indeed satisfying. Also, said boss had a female coworker as his (also now-zombified) mistress, because of course he did.

Even the three-part finale manages to find a way to justify a human antagonist in the form of Higurashi and his followers. I’m typically not a huge fan of human villains in these stories, considering what role the zombies play; but this anime makes it work, and their fates incredibly gruesome and karmic. I won’t be spoiling them here, which should give you an idea of how graphic yet satisfying their ends are. That, and it differs between the anime and manga.

The UK has Shaun of the Dead, the US has the Zombieland, and now Japan has their own darkly humorous zombie work to call their own. It has also managed to fill the void left by High School of the Dead, since any chance of that getting a proper ending died with Daisuke Sato. This will not be the only anime I will be celebrating Halloween with; and my crates of Mountain Dew Voodoo (flavor this year is a citrus cotton candy blend, in case you were wondering) will be at my right hand watching. That will be all for now, and enjoy yourself any way you can.

About the Pokémon "Tera Leak.'

This wasn’t my intended plan, but I might as well have a go while this is still fresh. Since there are all manner of leaks making the rounds (presumably with more to come); I thought I would give a few moments to address them. Here are my thoughts on the recent “tera leak” impacting the Pokémon Company and Game Freak, as well as what it might mean for the near future of the franchise.

First, a disclaimer as a 25-plus-year veteran fan- I will not be showing the leaked information; but I can describe it for you all. Also, please be aware this information is subject to change; and I will bring you any official details as they become available. Finally, I will not be addressing details about past works that are coming out; I will be mainly focusing on the potential near future. Some of the details here also corroborate information that’s been circulating a while; and when it falls under that; I will mention it.

Case in point- the highly anticipated Pokémon Legends Z-A. Not only is Lumiose City the main hub of the game; but both it and Generation X (the latter of which is known under the codename “Gaia”) are being developed for both the existing Switch and its eventual successor (codename “Ounces”). Legends Z-A was also going to be out this year; but was pushed to 2025 in light of the Generation IX launch and its fixes.

There is also a new multiplayer title codeveloped with ILCA, codenamed “Synapse.” The gameplay will reportedly be similar to the “Splatoon” games, which I really enjoy. Though not much is known about the game, it will be interesting to see what comes out of this; if anything.

Now, onto the anime and other adaptations. I cannot be certain if all the details about the remainder of Pokémon Horizons are true, but I’m not entirely surprised they’re planning to wrap it up before the next generation. Though it remains to be seen what will happen to the main anime; this, along with other projects (more on that in a bit) seems to corroborate the plans of going back to basics.

Apart from that, Studio Colorido is developing a 12-episode OVA for TV, with all the episodes being the standard 22 minutes. As someone who has an appreciation for their work, I am intrigued.

Even with the current management at WB Discovery (talk persists of a potential breakup), I am glad to mention a sequel to the 2019 hit Pokémon Detective Pikachu is still being developed as The Great Detective Pikachu; with Jordan Vogt-Roberts (“Kong: Skull Island”) set to direct. I never thought it was shelved, just waylaid by strikes and the pandemic.

The live-action Netflix event is also still being developed (codenamed Discovery). The first season is the standard eight episodes, and there is said to be a pickup for about five at least. Whether or not they make it a period piece (they could for the ‘90s what Stranger Things did for the ‘80s in tone and presentation) or bring the story into the present day; I’m open to the idea. The only detail I know for sure is that they’re going to be adapting the original games, which brings me to the final topic I will mention today.

Lastly, there is an in-development reboot of the anime movies, codenamed Project Bauer. Tentatively focusing on the original 151 monsters (with Mew being a major focus), this very much fits the mold of the back to basics approach I was hearing about after HZ ends. Not certain about a whole new protagonist- if this is one of the proposed adaptations of the original games, I would just use Red (or at least, a new variant of him for this continuity). Kobun Shizuno is currently attached to direct, and he does have plenty of experience. Honestly, I'm open to the idea; especially as the movies have been on hiatus since M23 and previous ones largely escaped the video game adaptation curse. If it works, then similar films about the other regions could follow. At worst, I honestly can't imagine it being a disaster. That’s all for now, take care.

Regarding the Level-5 Vision and Holy Horror Mansion.

It's been quite a stuffed month of anime and video game announcements as well as releases. Though last week, the Sony State of Play and Sonic Central took up the lion's share of attention; one other oft-delayed presentation finally got livestreamed- the Level-5 Vision. This naturally resulted in a myriad of announcements for delays; and one new direction (or concept as they call it) for a franchise now over a decade old that didn't exactly get the reaction they were going for. So, let's get to it.

Though an animated avatar of Akihiro Hino tries to suggest otherwise, I will respectfully decline the use of the "To The World's Children" branding. In my case, it's less a singular inner child and more like a group of them representing different aspects of my personality (think the emotions from the Inside Out 'verse, with Anxiety becoming my spirit animal for this year).

First is that Fantasy Life I: The Girl Who Steals Time has been delayed from October 10 of this year till April of next year. This is actually one delay I can respect; as while this October may not be as stacked as last year's was; it still has more than a few games that are highly anticipated (with my primary target being Sonic X Shadow Generations). Regrettably, this will be the first of many delays announced; not counting Professor Layton and the New World of Steam as that already got bumped to 2025.

DecaPOLICE, the game that arguably has the most potential out of all of these; has now been bumped to 2026 on all its intended platforms (Steam, Switch, PS4, and PS5). The growing length of developmental cycles aside; the delays are already causing concerns in the fandom and I'm not even halfway through this presentation. At least the new events in Megaton Musashi Wired are coming out on time and are well-received.

Now, it's time for Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road, once again. I did try the open beta earlier in the year; and despite openly admitting to not being a fan of the anime or franchisee as a whole, I did my best to keep my feedback respectful. That said, even though it was first announced in 2016 for release in 2018, it is being delayed yet again for June 2025. I've mentioned the previous delays before, so there's a couple major ways of looking at this. If it gets pushed back again, I won't be surprised. If it does keep its release date, it will have June mostly to itself; but it's not likely to stay that way. As for this remake of the first game (which I haven't played and don’t plan to)- we shall see how that goes in 2026. For every one like Resident Evil 2 or FFVII Remake; we get scores of ones like Warcraft III Reforged or the 2020 version of XIII.

Here is the title that arguably had the most eyes on it; and the most scrutiny as well- the latest concept for Yo-Kai Watch. Originally under the working title "Ghost Craft," it is now known as Holy Horror Mansion. The "Ghost Craft" is now how crafting will work in-game.

The aim to be their largest project ever is making me and many others uneasy. I'm noticing many longtime fans of the developers in particular souring on their obsession with multimedia IP and just want them to make interesting games again. I'm having flashbacks to the Dark Universe reading that byline myself. Also like to be blunt that my party pop music I'm fashionably late to is less PIKOTARO and more Post Malone.

Though not without potential, one element in particular cast a dark raincloud over the reveal trailer- the usage of generative AI art. 

I thought there was something off about the cookware in this kitchen.

While it's still early, meaning it can change from here; it definitely seems like an unforced error, and those who are against the idea of AI in games likely are not onboard by design. There's also a sizable chunk of the existing fan base that isn't invested in the new concept at all. In theory, a new direction should have been just the thing to jolt the games. In practice, the first impression on the new game has been decidedly mixed.

Scene depicting a cake in Holy Horror Mansion.

Scene depicting Peach's Cake in Mario Party (1999).

However, this still leaves arguably the greatest risk- once again attempting to appeal to Western markets at the expense of their core audience. As someone who hasn't played every game that Level-5 has made, I'm arguably one of the people they’re trying to reach. Yet, despite other people online attempting to tell me otherwise, trying to nearly jettison the previous audience for a new one has never gone well. It's one thing if existing fans don't take to Holy Horror Mansion; but if the more general audiences they're aiming at don't respond to the game; it's curtains.

Not quite "When it's done," but it's close.

Though the concept admittedly isn't the worst (everything from Luigi's Mansion to Resident Evil to even Fatal Frame have made use out of exploring haunted locales); I do not plan to cover Holy Horror Mansion beyond this point unless Level-5 removes the AI art, real or perceived from the final game. I have much more to talk about in October; including more satisfying topics. That will be all for now, take care.

The Rick and Morty Anime Series is an Absurd Fever Dream (Honest Thoughts)

Well, that is certainly interesting. Much like the parent show it spun off from, the discourse is quite exhausting even as someone who likes it. So, with all the ballyhoo, let's talk about Rick and Morty: The Anime and why I enjoy it in spite and because of being an absurd fever dream.

The anime is helmed by Takashi Sano, who previously did the one-shot where the title characters faced a monster known as the "Genocider." There was also the short where Rick bemoans his lab in Akihabara has been overrun with maid cafés and video game stores (not to mention one spoofing the classic Lone Wolf and Cub); so there is precedent at least for this becoming one of the many timelines the title characters have traversed.

Like a great many episodes of the main show, this anime has gathered something of a love it or hate it reputation; with not much of a middle ground. As you might expect, I fall in the love camp. I'm not one to say no to a pilot where Morty gets a VR game that functions as both an existentialist experience and an over the top combat encounter straight out of a Ryu Ga Gotoku game.

I definitely would not put this on the same pedestal as Scott Pilgrim Takes Off or Terminator Zero; but I can certainly do worse as a lead-in for One Piece and Demon Slayer. Admittedly, it's actually quite interesting to see how it remixes elements from the main show; especially concerning Jerry. His inclusion in this anime sees him identify with the mythical Sisyphus, gain a superhero transformation that resembles the infamous Chargeman Ken; and undergo endurance training that I'm fairly certain would make up at least a tenth of someone's "Kinktober" art prompts. Yes, I am well aware of the Justin situation; and I totally understand why they had to let him go (even the characters' appearances in MultiVersus were recast).

Though I do not know what will happen with this anime going forward (the most recent episode had a lot to take in, and not just because of the story and concepts it contained); it certainly is interesting to think about and give my honest thoughts. Of all that's happened; I'm not one for giving a canned answer to a topic- I'm one that gives you my actual takes; and I do not address something unless there's something I can contribute to the conversation. With that in mind, I have much to celebrate come October; but first, I have unfinished business with a topic I've dealt with before. That's all for now, take care.

My Complicated Relationship With Dragon Ball GT.

Hey everyone- with Dragon Ball Daima set to debut this October; I thought I would take a look back at another anime that I have a rather conflicted view of. So, here is a post on my complicated relationship with Dragon Ball GT.

Courtesy: Toei/Fuji TV

Though I did watch the anime at the time, there ways always something about it that felt off; and not just because of its dubious canonical status even now. Before I get into the story and character aspects; I will go over the aspects I like about it. Though not spectacular, the animation is solid; and while the late, great Akira Toriyama was largely hands-off with writing; the designs he contributed certainly bear his artistic fingerprints. The music is also decent, and I especially like how the voice cast reprised their roles (especially Stephanie Nadolny as young Goku- glad she's coming back for Daima).

Regrettably, it's the story and characters that end up coming up short this time around. Though it's not as rife with issues as, say, Digimon Adventure 02 is personally; it has a similar core problem. Namely, there are lots of ideas recycled from earlier stories; and the new ideas break suspension of disbelief more than the fighter balance in the Final Bout Playstation game. Yes, I played that back in the day (the second printing, not the rarer first printing).

Admittedly, the heroes and antagonists carried over from past incarnations are fine for the most part. It's  additions this anime that don't really stand out, with Lord Luud, Super Baby and the Para Para brothers being among the least memorable. Regarding the last ones, they're apparently named after a dance trend that had already faded by the time the anime got dubbed. Heck, even Dazzler had a better time adapting to changing times.

As for characters we know, a large part of me was excited to see how Pan would grow as a person and fighter after the epilogue of Z. Let's just say that the depiction of her is not what I was hoping for. I do like the outfit at least, but not so much how she's acting more childish than her grandfather; who's reverted to his child self after a wish gone awry. (sighs) 

While I have never had an issue with young Goku outside this anime; I submit it's not merely having him in the story that makes him work- it's how you use him. That's something this anime didn't really understand until it was too late. He is the most obvious example of the character going through the hits like your favorite band playing the fairground circuit; then trying new material that doesn't quite land.

Case in point- The Last Oracle of Luud. This was a particularly tedious experience; and that's not a word I typically associate with this material. Fighting a personified whip is not something that should be this mundane; and that is among the reasons why I decided against reviewing or recapping any episodes in favor of this instead.

Somehow, it creates more arc fatigue than the canon entries ever could. Also find "The Beginning of the End" an ironic title when it comes up at less than halfway through. The visit to sector 2814 does somewhat amuse me; as it makes me joke about the Green Lantern Corps being in the vicinity.

Of course, there's the robotic companion Giru; who honestly ranks quite low in my view of machine characters in the franchise. If the tin can hadn't bonded with the Dragon Radar, there really wouldn't be much reason to exist. Not even his backstory could convince me otherwise. Pan's gambit that follows is also much more "meh" than "WHOO! I'M ABOUT TO MAKE A NAME FOR MYSELF HERE!"

As my rewatch pressed on, characters such as Rilldo and Dr. Myu lacked the memorable qualities even less universally-revered antagonists of the franchise have, especially the latter. He's functionally Gero without the charisma, and we'll come back to his creations in a bit.

Though most of the updated character designs are passable; my least favorite redesign would have to go to my favorite character: Vegeta, who gets saddled with a truly awful mustache that makes him look like infamous adult film star Ron Jeremy. Thankfully, he has the sense to shave it off about a third of the way into the show.

In all honesty, the "Saiyan Hunting" is a larger part of Baby's body surfing between hosts, and it takes up a sizable chunk of his saga. As previously stated, he's a villain who may share the power absorption of Cell; but not his charisma or memorable menace. Him attempting to takeover Trunks and Goten's date isn't quite the same as consuming people whole, skin and all.

While Android 17 and 18 have never been my favorite characters; even I understand why they have fans. Still, I was not pleased with how this anime handled them. Their new designs weren't the worst; but the way they were written was the Achilles' heel as usual. The way this anime turned them into little more than living weapons is far less satisfying than to see 18 be figuratively and literally humanized by Krillin's love; or 17 learning that protecting and giving life can be every bit as gratifying as taking a life.

Though the distant finale may not be as contentious as Digimon 02, it is still easily my least favorite finale to any of the anime adaptations. Original Dragon Ball ends with Goku and Chi Chi getting married. DBZ ends with Goku helping train Uub (the reformed personification of Buu's evil side) as a fighter. Super ends with Goku victorious in the Last Universe Standing and peace being restored to each of the universes. However, even factoring in that it's non-canon; GT ends with Goku and Shenron disappearing for a century, something that is more understandable than TK's novelized account of his friends (though no less disappointing).

So, while this anime might not be the disaster I remembered it to be; it's also the least memorable adaptation of Dragon Ball by far. For all the faults of Evolution, at least that was a spectacularly awful trash fire. This is not only not canon, but the biggest gripe I have beyond that is that it's just average. I am glad that Super managed to more effectively remix ideas from the whole franchise. I also admire it for striking the right balance of the high stakes of Z and the wonder of the original. Though some took issue with this, I always like how it nailed (at least personally) how Goku never lost his sense of adventure with age, nor his sense of humor as shown.

Age 12: "What do I care about seeing your dirty old fanny?"

Age 42: "I wouldn't come here just to see your boobies- they're too saggy now."

I mean, as someone who has ventured into other parts of the author's work even before he passed; him meeting Arale from Dr. Slump is a concept that holds water- a fun breather before things get serious. By contrast, I never knew what mindset to adopt for GT; and watching it again for the first time in ages (going over every episode to make sure I have the details correct); I still don't. Whatever transpires with Dragon Ball Daima, I have more confidence in that as a posthumous parting gift (along with the Sand Land anime and game).

Overall, I cannot go so far to say I outright hate Dragon Ball GT; but I also can't go so far as saying I like it. If I may borrow a line from Schaffrillas, I consider it painfully average. I found it better than Digimon 02, but my relationship is complicated with it all the same. That is all for now, take care.

Thoughts on the Transformers 40th anniversary video by Studio TRIGGER.

Hail- well met, everyone: this weekend, I saw Transformers One and I absolutely loved it. As both a new movie and a reimagining of the franchise's origin story; it is well worth your time and money. So, I thought I would do something else to help celebrate the milestone. Here are my thoughts on the Transformers 40th anniversary video by Studio TRIGGER.

Courtesy: Hasbro/Studio TRIGGER

The video incorporates characters and elements from the entire legacy of the franchise. From the WFC Trilogy on Netflix all the way back to the original entry from the 1980s. Even the live-action films, divisive as they often are (and the butt of jokes from this studio's animators) get represented. I'm noticing more and more willingness to not only embrace adaptations that are well-liked in major franchises; but also to both remix ideas that weren't as well-executed (up to and including self-deprecating gags).It's also backed by the song "Mayday" by Bump of Chicken, and it pairs incredibly well. Overall, a great way of celebrating a vast legacy of capturing the imaginations of children and the young at heart.

I also will apologize in advance for the lateness and brevity of this post; but I've been working on a larger post I've been wanting to do for a long time. For now, go see Transformers One; and I will see you all again soon. Till all are one...

Pokémon Horizons Volume 3 (EN) Thoughts, Volume 4 Coming November 22.

Hey everyone- whether or not Netflix makes good on the plan to delist the JN seasons today (the “leaving soon” message is gone on my profile); I am drafting my full look at the first HZ storyline. With that out of the way, here are my thoughts on Volume 3 of Pokémon Horizons’ English dub.

Courtesy- Netflix/The Pokémon Company

This volume contains the final two episodes of “The Departure of Liko and Roy” storyline, and the first nine of the “Terapagos’ Shine” storyline. I still don’t know why they didn’t just include them in the last volume; but I’m just glad the next volume will contain the rest (at least going by online summaries I could find). Also, the next volume streams November 22. I know that date has plenty of pop culture events already (the new Moana and the Marvel VS Capcom collection being my most anticipated); so let’s focus on this one for now.

Though there still issues carried over from previous volumes, the “Terapagos’ Shine” storyline does have better pacing than “The Departure of Liko and Roy.” The infectious energy of Iono is indeed welcome, as is Liko’s grandmother Diana. They even managed to streamline some dialogues that bugged me in the subtitled episodes.

While I do still wish they would incorporate more material from the games into the story and characters (just reading summaries of the most recent episodes, I can say I am very much not a fan of the anime’s variant of Grusha; who was one of my favorite Paldea gym leaders); the animation is still a highlight. I may have plenty of issues to talk about with these storylines; but at least I can agree that the anime looks great. 

I am roughly 40-50% done with my full review of “The Departure of Liko and Roy,” and once that is done; I will begin outlining all the episodes of “Terapagos’ Shine” once the English dub comes stateside. I still don’t know what will happen after this anime is over; but I’d be fine with “you know who” coming back. Most likely, I could see the next anime directly adapting characters from the games. That will be all for now, take care.

The Boy and the Heron is a Masterpiece (First Viewing Thoughts)

 For my cat,  Amy

2005-2024

I have wanted to address this movie for a very long time, and now that time is upon me. Here are my first viewing thoughts on the award-winning hit anime film from Hayao Miyazaki; "The Boy and the Heron."

Taking place in Japan in the 1940s, the story follows a young man named Mahito Maki. As he tries to adjust to a new living situation and the loss of his loved ones; he is taken on an adventure to the land between living and dead, with an enigmatic heron and a cast of characters that parallel his extended family as his guides. 

Courtesy: Studio Ghibli/GKIDS

In many respects, this movie is the reverse of Spirited Away. Whereas that film was about Chihiro finding herself in maturity by getting caught in parallel world of spirits, this one is about Mahito willingly going into another world of many layers to prove himself. However, there are two major constants between them. The first is that they both show the limitless potential of animated storytelling (with their Best Animated Feature Oscar wins being well-deserved). The second is that the fantastic journey undertaken also serves as a personal one.

The film's Japanese title, "How Do You Live" is a question that comes from an in-story journal left to Mahito by his mother; and one that the movie explores to answer. Though many critical moments in the story were leaked to me online (something I certainly did not appreciate), seeing them for myself is always something I know I need to do to make sure they're true.

With that said, the acclaim and success the film has garnered is well-deserved. Every story moment and piece of character growth is animated in colorfully vivid and striking detail. From a hospital fire that kicks off the plot to the ending moments in the Japanese countryside; it is certainly worthy of being Miyazaki's final film. 

Not only is it a spectacular animated fantasy to cement his vast legacy, it is a well-rounded and nuanced portrayal of grief. The only definitive story and character details I will reveal ahead of a full review (at a later date to be determined) are these- not only does Mahito care deeply for his surviving family despite everything; this is one film I've seen that accurately captures the more subtle and numbing details of grief. The scene where he deliberately hits himself in the head with a rock just to feel something again resonates with me more than you know.

I have every intention to watch this movie again for a full review in the near future, as it has joined the list of my all-time favorite movies (in the process of revising it for 2025). Before I do that, I have unfinished business with an anime nowhere near as good as this. That will be all for now, take care.

Terminator Zero (2024) First Viewing Thoughts.

This started as another first impressions post, but it turned into something even bigger after I once again binged the whole event. So, here are my first viewing thoughts on the anime Terminator Zero.

Courtesy: Netflix/Production IG/Skydance

Helmed by Masashi Kudo of "Ghost in the Shell" fame and Mattson Tomlin; the anime takes place parallel to the canonical judgment day on August 29, 1997. As the hour draws closer to Skynet becoming self-aware, mysterious beings known as Misaki and Kokoro seek to prevent catastrophe with an enigmatic programmer named Malcolm Lee and his three children. What follows is a story that not only pays homage to the franchise's 40-year legacy; but presents its core ideas in fascinating new ways.

As a longtime fan, I am pleased to say that not only does it contain a large amount of thrilling action scenes and visual wonder I've come to expect; it also re-imagines the lore in a time where it's arguably needed most. Some of the iconography and story elements are familiar. Others are remixed in new and unique ways. Though the franchise has varied wildly in terms of quality over the years, I have found something to enjoy even in the more divisive installments.

Without any major spoilers, the anime definitely did a fantastic job at remixing the many twists and turns the franchise's timeline has taken over the years. It's also visually-stunning, with Production IG turning in some absolutely fantastic animation. I am not exaggerating when I say this is honestly my favorite installment since T2, which remains my favorite of the films (a sentiment shared by my late brother).

Overall, 'Terminator Zero" is an ideal way to celebrate 40 years of the franchise, blending its flair for thrilling sci-fi action and horror with thought-provoking statements on everything from the ethical debates surrounding AI to the conflict between predestination and free will. This will be far from the only IP to be addressed in the remainder of this year. You will just have to wait and see what it is next. That will be all for now, and I'll be back.

Digimon 02: The Beginning is a Symbol of Everything Wrong with 02 and Modern Digimon (First Viewing Thoughts)

 CW: Domestic abuse, mental illness, trauma

Spoilers for: A Silent Voice, Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse, Other Digimon franchise installments 

So, I just watched Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning; and even with my low expectations from the previous installment and my mixed feelings towards 02, it honestly went below the bar I set and kept digging past the bedrock. There will be spoilers to explain why, and also spoilers for other iterations of the franchise.

Before I get to into the major problems with the movie, I will again go over the positives I have. The animation is indeed impressive, and I did enjoy the music score as well. Regrettably, I cannot say much positive about the plot and characters apart from a scene early on that suggests they walked back the end of the last movie (with Tai in public office attempting to open up relations between the real world and digital world like in the TV anime).

As mentioned at the top; the real focus of the movie is quite heavy, centering around Ukkomon and its tamer Rui. I will likely get into more detail in the future, however; the bottom line is this- Rui claims to be the first human to partner with a Digimon, with the timeframe being right before the Highton View Terrace incident in the OVA. This would be an intriguing idea... were it not for the other side to this backstory.

Rui was raised in a household with a terminally ill father and an abusive mother when Ukkomon entered the story. Though at first it seemed his life was improving, it was later revealed that Ukkomon's solution was to take control of Rui's parents like human puppets. I intend to flesh this out more in the future; but this is just the worst way to handle this storyline. It's not like it's impossible for this franchise to do it well- one of my favorite aspects of my favorite season; Tamers made the trauma build naturally over the course of the story. Ukkomon's actions in this movie still pale in comparison to Dr. Kurata functionally committing the digital world equivalent of genocide in Savers/Data Squad.

Here, it feels misguided at best and downright harmful at worst; indirectly suggesting that the model Ukkomon set forth is beneficial, if not vital for the concept to work. Clearly, they aimed at my heart and hit me in my stomach, to paraphrase the famous muckraking piece.

There's another piece from FilmInk that goes into the film's mishandling of abuse; and it was a major help for writing this. To put this into further context, this would be analogous to A Silent Voice being a work about perpetuating the cycle of bullying based on disability rather than trying to break it. It's not a movie for the faint of heart, but it's also one I consider excellent and a far better story about this topic than this. It's a story that actually explores the effects these acts have on not just their victims, but their perpetrators.

I'm not saying it's impossible for a Digimon story to be a parable for toxic relationships alongside its spectacle; just that I've had specific issues with 02's handling of them in the past. Here, however; is where it's inherently clear to me their additions to the canon have done more harm than good. It especially doesn't help that there other re-imaginings that avoided this movie's pitfalls; one of which came out the same year as this movie.

Since I invoked Into the Spider-Verse in comparison to Last Kizuna; I think it's only fitting I do the same here for Across the Spider-Verse. Not only did that film succeed in every area this one failed in, it also proved to be the ideal counterargument to Rui's dilemma here. Specifically, I would like to highlight the scene where Miles openly rejects the idea that tragedy is helpful; let alone necessary to be a better hero.

MILES: "So we're supposed to just let people die because some algorithm says it's supposed to happen?!"  (Lyla shockingly says "whoa, whoa") "You realize how messed up that sounds?!"

MIGUEL/2099: "You have a choice between saving one person or saving an entire world, every world."

MILES: "I can do both! Spider-Man always..."

PETER B. : (Dejectedly) "...Not always."

Right after that, under the subtle guidance of Hobie Brown/Spider-Punk; Miles breaks off from Miguel's leadership; inspiring numerous other variants to follow suit. This is a scene that not only makes for a compelling moment in the story; but shows how well it understands the characters.

By contrast, this movie plays out less like a movie focused on the 02 cast and more like "The Tragedy of Rui and Ukkomon, featuring the cast of Digimon 02." Despite the movie's attempts to claim otherwise, it is not a happy ending. Whether or not you consider the changes made to the timeline, Ukkomon was still complicit in Rui's trauma and actively made the problem worse with the misguided attempts to solve it. Likewise, Rui is likely facing down time in jail or a psychiatric hospital for what he's done; if not both.

Again, hate to repeat what I said during my posts on Last Evolution Kizuna; but how do you make the distant finale of the 02 season look like a more coherent ending? What is the point of trying to use these characters again if you're going to continually make them feel like supporting players in their own story?! It's just simply and completely unbelievable!

While this is far from the first time a Digimon adaptation has dealt with dark subject matter; this is the first time I've been utterly disgusted by how it fundamentally mishandled the story. Not even Frontier's mixed results with their season bungled things this badly.

This season never had a universally-loved reputation; but this movie is easily a symbol of everything wrong with 02 and modern Digimon in a single 87-minute package. It's another story that likely would have fared better as an OVA miniseries with more time to flesh out the characters and plot. As it stands, Digimon 02: The Beginning is functionally the end of any further desire to see this iteration of the franchise. A full review will follow after I watch the English dub and post thoughts on that as well. That is all for now, and I really need something to drink,

RIP Atsuko Tanaka (1962-2024)

This was not what I was intending to follow the previous post, but we have sadly lost another beloved voice actress. Atsuko Tanaka has passed away from an undisclosed illness at age 61, with her daughter Hikaru breaking the news online.

Tanaka voiced many roles in anime and video games in her life, including the original voice of Major Motoko Kusanagi in Ghost in the Shell and a recurring voice of the title character of Bayonetta. Other roles included the Japanese voice of gym leader Lenora and Lucy of the Battle Frontier in Pokémon. She continued voice acting until her passing; with some of her final roles including the games Sand Land and Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance.

I wish the best for Tanaka's friends, loved ones and colleagues at this difficult time. May she rest in peace.

Rachael Lillis dies at age 55.

It is with great sadness that I report the death of Rachael Lillis at age 55. Her sister Laurie broke the news earlier today. The actress was the original voice of Misty and Jessie on Pokémon among countless others. Though she had been dealing with both breast and spinal cancer in recent months; this nonetheless comes as a shock. 

If anyone has pleasant memories of Rachael, feel free to share them. I will need time to process this loss and determine how I will pay tribute to her. In the meantime, I wish the best for Rachael’s family, friends and fellow voice cast at this difficult time. May she rest in peace.

Pokémon Scarlet and Violet- The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero (Switch) Review

It’s been a long time coming, and now it’s finally here. With these expansions pushing my total playtime past 300 hours combined, it’s time to talk about the expansion for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero. I will be covering both halves of the story and the post-launch epilogue; so here we go. 

As before, I will describe the gameplay and tech aspects first. The expansions build on concepts introduced in the base game, and I will enjoy detailing them more as I go. There’s also a whole slew of side activities I’m eager to tell you about. Though the performance hasn’t been completely overhauled, it has been vastly improved in my experience. With more graphical and audio updates on the way, I’m actually glad the developers aren’t releasing another full game till next year. Now, let’s open this up.

Part I- The Teal Mask (September 13, 2023)

In order to start this DLC, you will need to have beaten the base game’s main story at least once. After that, you and your classmates are invited on a school trip to Kitakami Village in the Johto Region. Right off, I really like the how the setting resembles a mountainside Japanese village and its folklore. Even if we’re not revisiting Johto on a larger scale yet, I do think it will happen one day.

While staying at the community center in Mossui Town (no comment on the meme about their water closet), we are also introduced to two new characters for the story of this DLC- the passive-aggressive Carmine and her more reserved younger brother Kieran. I honestly really like these characters, and I’m eager to explain why in this review. They live with their grandparents Yukito and Hideko.

Another character I have immense appreciation for is the photographer Perrin; who is implied to be the descendant of Adaman from Legends Arceus. After you register 150 entires in the Kitakami Pokédex, you take part in a mission find the Blood Moon Ursaluna. I successfully caught it, by the way- they had me at the “Zombie bear” design.

Anyway, the story mainly centers around the Pokémon Ogerpon, and its conflict with the “Loyal Three-“ Okidogi, Munkidori, and Fezandpiti. This story is also something of a retelling of the legend of Momotaro, which will become quite apparent during this review.

The first mission is tracking signposts, which is actually a pretty nice way of getting a lay of the land. Always appreciate when the story works with the world design. Once the second to last signpost is found, it’s time for the Festival of Masks to begin that night! I must say, I really like how it’s presented as a Japanese festival, with everything from the vendor stalls to the cosmetics being a part of that. I also rather enjoy the “Ogre Ousting” mini game, reminds me of the ones in Stadium on a larger scale. We also have our first encounter with Ogerpon. While Kieran likes the beast, Carmine isn’t so certain. This matter is complicated further when she sees Ogerpon, but keeps this information secret from him.

The next day, once the last signpost is found; we find out more about the story. It turns out the legends were connected to an old mask maker; something of kindred spirits. He not only built the eponymous Teal Mask, but its other artifacts as well. The masks end up being taken by the Loyal Three, and it turns out the story behind them was completely backwards. They were not the victims, but the instigators.

Carmine dubs them the “Lousy Three,” and before they can be captured in the postgame; they must be tracked and beaten to retrieve the stolen masks. I actually like this idea, and it builds on the boss fights in Legends Arceus and the Titan fights in the main game.

First, I went after Okidogi, who resides in the Paradise Barrens. The poison/fighting type is certainly a big one (base stats total 555) and beating him allows us to recover the Cornerstone Mask. Second is Munkidori, a poison/psychic type with a big brain (base stats also total 555), beating him gets us back the Wellspring Mask. The third and final retainer is the poison/fairy type Fezandpiti (yet again with base stats of 555), who is fluttering above the Oni Mountain. Winning lets us recover the Hearthflame Mask.

Now, the time has come to decide who Ogerpon gets for a partner. Kieran, none too pleased that his sister kept the sickening truth from him; confronts us for Ogerpon. Whoever wins the battle gets to try and catch them. In one fell swoop, I win and catch Ogerpon. After one more battle with Carmine, she and Kieran are called back to their school- the Blueberry Academy in Unova, by order of their instructor Briar.

The stinger that sets up the next chapter features Kieran, who was mostly reserved for much of this one, putting up his hair and making a rather unnerving smile. He intends to get stronger, though not in the way you expect.

The village is also packed with over 200 monsters returning from the previous titles; a precedent that will be built upon in the next chapter. There are also a variety of challenges in battle, my personal favorite being the Kitakami Ogre Clan. Each member has competition-ready rosters, and is named for the swords in Japanese folklore. Their leader is Muramasa, and you can defeat the other seven members in any order you want- Masamune, Raikiri, Hasebe, Kanemitsu, Kunitsuna, Munechika, and Kotetsu. I even hatched a Chimchar from an egg Jacq gave me. Now, onto the next chapter.

Part II- The Indigo Disk (December 14, 2023)

This chapter picks up where the previous one left off. It took a few tries to start (including rebooting my console and reinstalling the DLC); but I was able to accept the invite from Cyrano to study as part of the exchange at the Blueberry Academy in Unova! Given what I’m about to tell you, I would argue it’s less “if” and rather “when” a full revisit of Generation V will be. The Academy itself has four distinct biomes full of more than 200 retuning monsters across the franchise’s history- Canyon, Coastal, Polar and Savannah. There’s even missions you can get to find leads on the new Paradox Pokémon from Perrin, and yes- I was among those making Rise of the Beasts jokes with the dinosaur variants of Johto Legends and robot versions of the Unova Swords of Justice. What sold me was being able to catch all the previous generations’ starters.

Kieran, as a result of the events of the previous chapter, is now a much more powerful trainer; becoming Champion of the Academy. This has also had the side effect of turning the timid but kindly boy from the first chapter into a coldhearted and overly competitive rival. I actually like how we not only get both the friendly and edgy rival this time; and this makes total sense based on the last chapter’s events and Carmine’s influence.

Anyway, in order to face him; you need to beat the Academy’s own Elite Four. During your stay, you also complete quests to gain rewards for yourself and the school with the points earned. They are known as Blueberry Quests, amusingly BBQs for short. Yes, that does indeed involve cooking, and we’ll come back to that in a bit.

Lacey is the opponent I chose to face first, as we had a battle to help break the ice when I arrived. I won it, though don’t be fooled- she and every other trainer you face in the Academy has rosters and strategies that are common in competitive play. In order to face her and other members of the Elite Four, you must first pass their trials, something of a remix of the trials in Generation VII. Hers is a trivia challenge where you have to get five correct answers. Lacey specializes in fairy types, and her ace is an Excadrill. Her father is also the gym leader Clay; again suggesting that the question of revisiting Generation V is less “if” and more “when.”

The second member I chose to face is Crispin, the chef and fire-type specialist. Before you fight him, the trial is to trade for ingredients to make the spicy sandwich of his preference. I recommend this recipe to clear the trial- onion, double jalapeños, chorizo, mustard and chili sauce. You're welcome. His ace is a Blaziken, the only one to not be steel type in some way.

Third in line is Amarys, who specializes in steel types. In order to face her, you must pass the flight course. It’s a bit like the challenges in Pilotwings if you ever played any of those games. This also allows your mount to fly freely in any direction. Her ace is a Metagross.

The fourth and final opponent I picked is the laid-back dragon master Drayton. He is Drayden’s grandson, and in a sense, Iris’ adoptive brother. To fight him, you have to face three Ace Trainers using only monsters you caught in the Terrarium. As someone who wasted no time in doing so, I had plenty to choose from. His ace is Archaludon, a new monster that evolves from Duraludon.

After clearing the Academy Elite Four, you face Kieran. You can bring out Ogerpon from before, and he even has unique dialogue when it happens. “Aw, that’s not very nice!”

Much like the main game, we trace Terapagos back to Area Zero; and I also caught some of the Paradox beasts I didn’t before (still eager to go for 100% completion).

As for the Master Ball breaking when Kieran tries using it here- well, that is technically consistent with the fractional failure rate they have. Thankfully, one of the ones I saved for Terapagos is more successful.

After that’s over, Kieran apologizes for his behavior; as does Carmine. We all head back to the Blueberry Academy as the credits roll to an arrangement of “Celestial” by Toby Fox.

Epilogue- Mochi Mayhem (January 11, 2024) + More

Earlier this year, an epilogue went live for this expansion. In order to play it, you will have to have had cleared the story of both previous chapters. Now, once all that is taken care of; you pay a visit to the shop in Kitakami Village. After you see a funny looking pillow; you get a call from Arven, and then you meet back in your place in Cabo Poco. A letter arrives from Kieran, which has tickets to Mossui Town inside. Nemona and Penny also join the fun, and it’s off to the land of Kitakami!

The one behind all the chaos is Pecharunt. In another piece of Kitakami folklore, it can produce delicious mochi that can influence the will of those who consume it. This results in something of a gauntlet of battles to snap the afflicted people out of their trance, and I do like the music in this expansion. Suffice to say, I don’t think that’s what they meant when they said “warrior needs food badly.”

Let’s run through the gauntlet of opponents. The first is a couple named Aya and Shige. Their monsters are pretty common, and if you’ve logged as many hours stacking XP as I have; you shouldn’t have much trouble.

Next are Kieran’s grandparents, Hideko and Yukito, who distribute the mochi on top of sampling it themselves. Their roster is a bit tougher; since it’s implied they taught their grandkids everything they knew about battling. That, and it’s also hinted their parents are gone.

After that, the normally serious (to almost comical degrees) Arven and Penny are fed the mochi; which adds to the challenge and humor of this epilogue.

The last human opponent is Nemona, and the way she’s able to resist the poisonous mochi chants in favor of her own battlecry for a match is an indicator the real Nemona is still in there. I have made clear how much I like her character before, and she’s the last one before we face Pecharunt proper. “I’ve not seen such bravery!”

Catching Pecharunt is another battle that parallels the Titans in the main game and the boss fights in Legends Arceus. Also, it’s another one where the beast is less than pleased to see Ogerpon as I beat and capture it.

With Pecharunt captured and quelled, everyone returns to their respective places of study. That certainly was a fun little bonus. 

Now that I’ve covered the main storylines of this expansion, here’s some postgame bonuses I didn’t touch on before. Starting with Nemona, her postgame quest involves trying to find a worthy opponent; and a balance between that and her role as student council president. Having reached the top, she wonders where to go from there. Upon reaching her dormitory; she decides to keep doing her best for herself and for everyone. Her quest is the most straightforward, the other two take a few more turns.

In order to start Penny’s postgame quest, you meet her by the bookcases in the main hall, keeping an eye on Giacomo and Ortega. The former admins of Team Star are trying to re-integrate into the Pokémon Academy, and this quest is to make sure it goes all right. First, we see Atticus in the student store, bonding with a classmate over ninja dogi. He’s also really, really ridiculously good-looking behind the mask- how about that?

Next, I head to the art room, where, after a quick chat with Hassel; we discover that Mela and Eri have an interest in art and want to join the club! Aw, that’s sweet. Mela even has a soft spot for a minimalist painting of a Fletchling. Eri even notices us, and I honestly like how there’s more to them than just being delinquents. Eri even started a wrestling club with Carmen!

After meeting Penny in the STEM classroom, she comes clean in her dorm that she’s been keeping watch on the former Team Star admins; and is glad they’re adjusting fine. She also doesn’t have visitors in her dorm room often; but is glad to have us anytime. Always a pleasure to chill with the figurines and Eevee-lutions.

Our reward is we get to see the admins in their normal wear. They actually clean up very nice. What’s more, I get to help them catch up on what they missed in the main game! Though Giacomo and Eri were able to catch up fine; I need to help the others pass their make-up exams so they don’t get held back.

Though Ortega seems reluctant, Atticus is more than happy to accept help. Eri encourages Ortega to reconsider, and he agrees. That just leaves one question- where is Mela? She must be found before we can begin.

Heading into the courtyard, we find her by a garden row. Though she’s hesitant, I do get her to come back. Now, we can begin. I’m able to get Atticus to realize the value of maths in relation to fashion. Helping Mela with trivia is a bit tougher; but I’m able to help her and encourage her to pursue her passions. The toughest student to reach (at least for me) is Ortega. Not only do I help them pass their exams, I get a whole set of their cosmetics from them! Penny also encourages them to be more open with her. They agree, and she takes over study help from there. 

Now, let’s talk about the quest with Arven. Turns out his parents have history with Clavell, and his office was once their lab. He took care to preserve the equipment when he became director.

This plot thread ends with the big reveal at the Crystal Pool in Kitakami- as a payoff for the end of the main game. In a sense, the professors are alive; and so are the dreams of their son. Upon returning to the Pokémon Academy, we talk to Arven in his homeroom. 

Back in the entrance hall, Arven is looking over his parents’ research; and discovers something. Though he doesn’t specify what it is to us, we follow him to his homeroom. There, we head to his dorm; and he decides he wants to be a cook! Still, there’s even more to discover. I believe we’ve made a positive change to the timeline by swapping notes, so let’s wrap this up.

Much like the expansions for Sword and Shield, the Hidden Treasure of Area Zero builds on the strengths of the base game while also functionally serving as the equivalent of past games’ third versions; our Yellow, Crystal or Platinum if you will. Even with the admitted rough launch; it’s looking more and more like Generation IX will get its redemption arc like Cyberpunk 2077 did. The similarities between the two are astounding. The confirmation the Switch successor will be revealed before the end of the fiscal year in 2025 also bodes well for the future and the upcoming Legends Z-A. 

I mean no disrespect to those who had a rough experience with these games; but I ultimately believe they’re a necessary experiment. I still enjoyed the main games and the expansions; and I would honestly love if the ideas shown were built on in Generation X. I’m once again glad for letting me share this with you all, and I will see you again soon. Thank you, treasured friends.

Pokémon Horizons Volume 3 Coming August 9 to Netflix+ Convention Highlights

Hey everyone- I know it’s been a while since my last update; so let’s get to it. As you have likely heard, the third volume of the English dub for Pokémon Horizons will be streaming on Netflix on August 9. I still don’t know why they couldn’t include the last couple episodes of this story arc in the last one; but at least I can officially draft more of my review of “The Departure of Liko and Roy.” This also connects to my next topic.

After the success of the previous year’s appearance at San Diego Comic-Con; they have returned to SDCC.  On top of panel discussions and an interactive pop-up experience, event DLC for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet is live for attendees and those following at home. Until January 31, 2025; typing in the code 909TEAMUP06 will get you a Mystery Gift of Roy’s Fuecoco. I have mine, so now I can work on training the event DLC.

Lastly, while specifics have yet to be revealed, the company plans to be a key presence at Gamescom in Germany. Though exact details on the Switch successor have yet to be confirmed; I am very much open to hearing more about the upcoming Pokémon Legends Z-A in 2025 (easily my most-anticipated game of that year) as someone who still claims Legends Arceus as my favorite in 2022.

One note before the next update- I have the rough draft of my review of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero ready; and I want to have the final draft done and posted by early next month. I will see you all again soon, take care.

P.S.: Go see Deadpool and Wolverine, it really is that good.

Yo-Kai Watch 4 Five Years Later- The Curious Case of the Elusive English Localization.

I know this is later than I expected, but I just got back from Lihue earlier this month, and I'm prepping myself for a trip to see my father in CA as well. In the meantime, here is a belated post on Yo-Kai Watch 4 five years (and change) later; and the curious case of its elusive English localization.

I have talked about this before, so let's do a quick recap of the journey so far. After being delayed from its intended release in late 2018; the game saw release on Nintendo Switch on June 20, 2019. Later that summer at Anime Expo in July, the game was announced for English localization alongside two anime films key to its plot- Shadowside: The Return of the Oni King, and Forever Friends.

As you may recall, none of that played out as expected. Eight days after release, the game was eclipsed by Super Mario Maker 2. Later that year, a multitude of other games took that release quarter by storm- Death Stranding, Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order, and most relevant to our case here; Pokémon Sword and Shield; all of which sold gangbusters and I enjoyed. Yet, that was only the start of the trouble.

In the year 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced many businesses to close; many of which were permanently shut down. The Level-5 Abby was among them. Combined with the failure of The Snack World outside Japan, it took three full years for Level-5 to even attempt localizing games overseas again. Though multiple IP were announced as part of this initiative in 2023 (both new and existing IP), Yo-Kai Watch 4 was conspicuous by its absence. Apart from an official release in China, the game has yet to see any update on official localization. It's nearing the threshold of a smaller-scale Mother 3 or Beyond Good and Evil 2.

Now, in the year of our Lisan Al Gaib 2024; we still await an update on the game. Even as a whole new console generation is in effect (talk persists of a new upgraded version of the Switch) and there is increasing proof of a market for anime where not everything needs to be Westernized. Not saying it's a given, but I think it's time to finally localize the game and the anime films it's connected to; if only to provide closure before Ghost Craft comes out.

Still, short of any official word from those in charge; this mystery will take more time to be solved. I will come back to this after I see my father (likely after the Level-5 Vision); and I will see you again in July. Take care.

P.S.: Go see Inside Out 2, it really is that good.

Sakamoto Days Anime Coming January 2025.

Hey everyone- I have some good news and bad news. My flight got delayed till a week from today and my traveling companion is recovering from a stomach virus. The good news is that things were able to be rescheduled, and I will be going to enjoy myself. Moreover, a manga I have been reading extensively since it began is finally getting an anime adaptation.

That would be Sakamoto Days by Suzuki Yuto, coming in January 2025. For those unfamiliar, the story follows a retired hitman named Sakamoto Taro; who is now working at a convenience store when enemies both old and new come into the fold. Their hope is that with Sakamoto putting on both years and weight, that he will be an easy target. As they find out the hard way, appearances deceive. TMS, who has extensive credits on both sides on the pacific, will be handling the adaptation; and Netflix has picked up the international rights.

As someone who has been a regular reader of the manga since it started publication in Shonen Jump Weekly; this news makes me immensely happy. I believe it has all the ingredients to be a great anime on its own and has plenty to work with for a good adaptation. That's all for now, and I will see you all again soon.

Toonami Rewind Coming May 31.

Hey everyone- just thought I'd get you something in between getting ready to go to Kauai and playing the Switch remaster of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. It's a bit of welcome news in a sea of overwhelming tides.

On May 31, one week from today; daytime airings of Toonami will be returning to the air for the first time in over ten years. Known as "Toonami Rewind," the block will feature a selection of anime shows and companions from across the block's 25+ year history. The initial lineup will include the uncut dub of Sailor Moon (marking the debut of that version on live TV),  Dragon Ball Z Kai, the original Naruto and the hit My Adventures with Superman (easily the best DC adaptation to come out of the past year).

Though I will be out of town when the block debuts in my time zone, you can bet I will be a regular viewer of this as I am with the revived block on Saturdays (my current favorites being One Piece, ZOM 100: Bucket List of the Dead and the aforementioned My Adventures with Superman, whose second season starts tomorrow at midnight). Thank you for your time, and I will see you all again after I come back from Hawaii in June. Take care.

Pokémon Horizons Volume 2 (EN) Thoughts

On May 10, the second volume of Pokémon Horizons' English dub streamed on Netflix. While it is a bit better than the first volume, there still are core issues that I would like to see improved further over time.

First, the biggest positives- apart from bugbears I shall mention below; this volume incorporates more elements from the video games and has some very strong animation. The voice casting is also quite solid, though I admittedly have to wonder if the last volume's delay was partially because of the strikes last year.

Courtesy: Netflix/The Pokémon Company 

That said, there is still room for improvement. The appearance of fan-favorite gym leader Kabu is undercut by a rough vocal performance from Clyde Kusatsu; whose line reading resembles John Cleese with a chest cold. I had to turn on the closed captions just to understand what he was saying.

The two episodes that conclude the current storyline are absent (despite having already been dubbed for airing in the UK), and the plot overall is still rife with pacing problems (one episode infamously ends on a mine collapse, only for the next to show the characters inside having escaped with no explanation). I would honestly be more willing to agree with the praise if the anime didn't constantly go out of its way to undermine the story and characters.

Still, it isn’t without redeeming qualities. The animation is among some of the best you’ll find in the franchise, and the episode that shows how Friede met Captain Pikachu is a standout. The casting of voice actors from previous incarnations of the anime also lends to some amusing performances. In particular, casting Zeno Robinson as Roy’s Fuecoco is entertaining (the vocalizing reminds me of the grunts from Muscle Man on Regular Show).

Though I still prefer the 2019 live-action Detective Pikachu and the stop-motion Pokémon Concierge, volume 2 of Pokémon Horizons is a bit better than volume 1. While it remains to be seen what will happen in the long term, things seem to be improving in the short term (I am also watching the subs as you see this). That is all for now, and I will see you again soon.

Rachael Lillis Has Cancer- Here's How You Can Help.

This was not the update I had planned on, but this needs to be addressed. Rachael Lillis, the original  dub voice for Misty, Jessie, and Jigglypuff on Pokémon among many others is currently battling both breast and spinal cancer. She is currently undergoing treatment, but the illness has left her with limited mobility.

Here is how you can help- her sister Laurie has set up a GoFundMe linked here, and donations are currently being accepted. Donate to it, share it, anything you can do that will help this situation. If you have ever been a fan of Rachael or her work as I have, now is the time to help. 

I will return with more writing briefly, and I thank you for your time.

Knuckles (2024) First Viewing Thoughts.

Hey everyone- I am making good progress on my full review of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero; so you will see that as soon as it's done. I have also decided to review Pokémon Horizons by entire storylines as soon as I have access to all the EN dub; though a full review of "The Departure of Liko and Roy" won't be till after I look at the SV expansion at the earliest. In the meantime, here are my first viewing thoughts on another video game adaptation- the Paramount Plus event series Knuckles! 

Courtesy- Paramount/Sega/Sonic Team

Taking place chronologically between the second "Sonic the Hedgehog" film and the upcoming third installment, the show follows the titular Knuckles the Echidna (voice of Idris Elba). As he attempts to adjust to life on Earth, he ends up joining officer Wade Whipple (Adam Pally) on a cross-country road trip to a bowling tournament in Reno, NV; crossing paths with a strange cast of characters both friend and foe. All, as you can imagine, does not go smoothly (especially with accidentally breaking car stereos).

Though it may not reinvent the wheel as streaming spinoffs go (just dealing with all the ebbs and flows as they come lately); it is still a family-friendly six episodes that capture the ideas of what make the character work. It's especially anchored by much of the movies' cast and crew being retained; along with an assortment of new cast and crew. My personal favorites of each would be the enigmatic Buyer (Rory McCann) and the Lonely Island's Jorma Taccone. Regarding the latter, it's clear the style of comedy practiced by the Lonely Island has influenced my writing significantly. So, it's definitely a show worth checking out if you have Paramount Plus. You'll certainly get more out of it as a fan of the material (Hi!), but it's also solid family viewing even among those who might have never held a game controller.

I may not be doing a full review at this time; but I might consider it at a later date as I finish more of my backlog. Perhaps before Sonic the Hedgehog 3 comes out around Christmas (especially with Keanu Reeves informally being confirmed for the voice of Shadow). I once again lament the lack of updates; but I've been feeling exhausted these last few days. Regardless, I will be back in May, and I will see you then. Take care.

Level-5 Vision Delayed To Summer 2024.

I am still working on stuff I've been meaning to finish for a long time; but this just came up and needs addressing. During their presentation last year, Level-5 announced their next Level-5 Vision presentation would take place in April 2024.

Now that this month is well underway; it turns out that we'll have to wait longer than expected. The presentation has been delayed to this coming summer; with no exact date as of this writing. The presentation was to contain more details on DECA Police, Fantasy Life: The Girl Who Steals Time, Professor Layton and the New World of Steam; and a new game under the working title "Ghost Craft."

The official announcement also stated that the presentation will now include information on Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road. Still, the announcement of the delay hasn't exactly gone over well; and I continue to wonder what's happening behind the scenes at Level-5. Either way, I will detail future updates as they become available. That will be all for now, and I will see you all again soon.

Pokémon Horizons: One Year Later

Well, that certainly was something, wasn’t it? Hello everyone, and welcome to my checkin with Pokémon Horizons- one year later. This anime has been able to last a full twelve months; and it’s headed for a new phase in its story, so let’s open it up.

When we last left this anime, we were nearing the end of “The Departure of Liko and Roy” storyline; and about to start the “Terapagos’ Shine” storyline. Now that both have concluded, I can say the latter is better than the former; but both still have their fair share of issues surrounding the anime as a whole.

Fortunately, it seems the people in charge are not just hearing my concerns and others, they’re listening. In fact, the events leading up to the current storyline, “Terastal Debut” have provided the means for a soft reset. With both the Brave Olivine and shiny Rayquaza getting wrecked at the end of the previous storyline; the new hub for the story is the Naranja Academy in Mezagoza, Paldea. Both the key art and preview materials have shown that more characters and elements from the games will be adapted; with yet more characters from Scarlet and Violet (potentially previous anime as well) hinted at.

At the same time, I sincerely hope that they can keep improving other areas. While I was never against the idea of a serialized storyline with greater focus on characterization; it’s the execution that’s the main problem I and others have. Even when I get answers about how a character operates, I’m left with more questions. Usually, I just get information drip fed about how the leads operate, and there’s lots of details I still don’t have. I’m also not confident in constantly dragging out the story for long stretches or locking key details about the lore in a “mystery box.” 

Though some have said the appearance of Shiny Zygarde intrigues them, I get more of a vibe that the Legends Z-A reveal caught the creatives off guard as much as us. I reiterate that we’re not at the stage of a hard reset yet; but the shift in setting and premise definitely signals a soft reset. I have continually pushed back against comparisons to previous entries and similar anime unless absolutely necessary; since it’s clear we’re in uncharted waters in this specific case.

With the “Terastal Debut” storyline now in motion, I will say that the anime is undergoing a strange; yet necessary experiment. That being said, I still prefer Pokémon Concierge, Paldean Winds and Path to the Peak of the adaptations that released in the last year. I also consider the Origins miniseries and live-action Detective Pikachu better adaptations that don’t feature “you-know-who.” As someone who enjoyed “To Be a Master,” I am actually glad they’re playing a potential return close to the chest (gives us time to miss him, you know). 

Much like before, I am holding off on full reviews of the Horizons’ storylines until I have an English dub for all the episodes. That is all for now, and I will see you for my full review of The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero. Take care, everyone.